What's Up With Those Fursuit Tags?
This question comes up often enough that we should really write up the definitive answer, such as it is.
Where do those tags come from, anyway? What do they mean? And most important, how do I get one of them?
Origin of the tags:
Those little suckers are the brainchild of Mike "Gooch" Gucciard and Rene Gobeyn. For those of you who've never met them, Gooch is one of the shift supervisors of the security staff at Anthrocon, and Rene is head of security. Both are members of the Dorsai Irregulars, and as with so many of the more interesting Dorsai stories, copious amounts of alcohol were involved. Caveat: The Dorsai believe that there's no tale that cannot be improved in the telling. You have been warned.
Gooch and Rene were talking one night, and hatched the idea. The core: "Wouldn't it be cool to get some animal tracking tags and start tagging the fursuits?" The immediate drunken response: "Hell, yeah!"
Eventually Gooch sobered up, went back home and started doing some research. He found a place that would make 100 cattle tags for a reasonable price. Problem: how were folks going to react to this? Would they be insulted? Would we be beaten by angry mobs? After more discussion and alcohol, it was decided to try it and see. If the first few people reacted badly, we'd bury 'em and never admit it happened.
Problem: standard animal control tags for cattle are designed to be permanent. This requires punching a hole through the cows' ears. Solution: cut off the punch top, cut a slit in the tag, and run a stock badge clip through it. The result: the fursuit tag as it is now known and loved. Gooch modified the tags, handed them out to security staff at Anthrocon, and we cautiously started tagging fursuits.
My God! You'd have thought we were handing out gold chain. A tradition was born. Another Dorsai saying: If you do it once, it's fun. If you do it twice it's a tradition. It you do it three times, it's ancient sacred traditions. The tags are an exception: once was enough for them to become ancient sacred tradition.
I've heard that Further Confusion is now making tags and giving them out to people at the masquerade. Cool! We're complimented.
What Do They Mean?
Most of the are Anthrocon-specific. A typical tag reads
DI MIG STUDY
Anthroc200X
followed by a big three-digit number.
The first line means "Dorsai Irregulars Migratory Study", the second is the place and year that we use a given tag. "Anthro2009" would be this year's Anthrocon. And the number is unique, not merely for the year, but overall. There are no two Anthrocon tags with the same number. We expect that next year we'll get up to tag 999.
Every year the color is different. Long term, we're going to bump into a problem there.
We gave out slightly smaller tags at FurFright, with the second line appropriately different. They also started at 001 and are going up.
This year we also gave out a very special set of tags. They were smaller, red, and had a different writeup: Anthro2009, KCD ASSETT, and a number. "KDC" stands for "Klingon Diplomatic Corps" (or "Kanadian Diplomatic Corps", if you're Uncle Kage). These red tags were a one-off for the appearance of the KDC at this year's Anthrocon. We have no plans to repeat them. If you have one, congratulations: all your fur suit are belong to us.
We keep making noises about building a real tracking database, but somehow we don't get around to it. We've accumulated a lot of data, tho.
But aside from that, they don't mean squat. Sorry. (looks down, scuffs feet and looks embarassed).
So How Do I Get One?
First off, there aren't enough to go around. Deliberately. We brought enough for everyone one year, and it wasn't nearly as much fun for either side. So we're deliberately going to keep restricting the number available and try to make them a little bit valuable.
To get one, you gotta talk the security staff out of one. Or better yet, charm the security staff out of one. How? Be your charming self. Do something interesting. Have an absolutely stunning suit. Be someone we owe big thanks to. Here are a few specific suggestions:
You almost have to be in full fursuit. I say "almost" because handing them out is at the whim of the holder, and I've given a couple to absolutely exceptional folks who had only head, paws and feet. But that's the exception, not the rule.
Don't ask in convention operations. We're busy, it's already noisy, and we need less traffic there rather than more. Look for us on the floor, in or out of security shirt.
Don't just ask for one. Do something. Last one person got one with what I think is the Best Lure Evah for a tag. In one ear he had a con art badge that read "I CAN HAS TAG PLZ?" We tagged him. He took the tag from us, grabbed the sign on his ear, and turned it around. On the other side it said "KTNXBYE." Awesome. This year the kid in the Underdog suit got one for sheer cuteness and appropriateness to the theme.
And that's really all there is to it. Be playful, and we'll play along.
Got more questions? Ask 'em below.
That's what I thought too. I had no idea there was an actual story behind them. Pretty neat! Man, I really need to make a fursuit.
I thought that you eventually had to show back up at the Dorsi ops with it, and provide a goverment ID of some sort so that the Dorsi could track where you live. I was under the impression that it was some big database year after year that the Dorsi/AnthroCon used to track fursuiters to see what state/country they cam from.
Lionman
Frontpaged and Tweeted.
My first time to a con and my first time in my full suit my mission was to get one of these tags^^ It was toward the end of the con and I saw that security was running low, I creeped up behind a few of them chatting and looked cute, flipping my ear and tilting my head to the side...she had one left and made me jump up and down for it but I got it 
Thanks so much I love it!
I noticed these fursuit tags long before I came to Anthrocon, and immediately figured they were a cute gimmick for anyone that was in a fursuit, and that you had to act out to get one. I've been to two Anthrocons (08 and 09) and I got tagged both times. 
I remember how I got mine:
The first time, there was a Dorsai talking to a mixed group of fursuiters and non in the hotel lobby, chatting with them. I meandered over and poked my large beak into their business. The Dorsai looked me up and down, held up a tag and said, "Do you want one of these?" Needless to say, I nodded quite vigorously and hopped up and down. Since my suit had no ears to tag, they placed it on my wing. XD They were given lots of hugs! The group they were chatting with applauded. X3
This year, I wasn't even thinking about tags, I was just messing around. One of the Klingon--er, Kanadian ladies was walking down the hall of the hotel toward the headless lounge, so I decided to sneak up on her and stalk her for a bit. I spread my wings and clacked my beak menacingly (at least, I thought so). She turned around, smiled, and immediately pulled a tag off of her belt and clipped it to my wing. I was shocked, I had no idea the Kanadians had them! As I was being tagged, my brother in his suit poked his head in, and started to clap for me. She tagged him too! <3
I want to thank you guys for creating such an awesome tradition, and hope it lives as long as Anthrocon does. <3
Actually, I didn't get the red one, I got the blue one. But that's okay, blue is my favorite color! I wasn't even aware the red ones were from this year; I saw them quickly in passing on other fursuiters, and thought they were from previous years.
Blue is still good. We probably got you before the day we used the red ones.
Woohoo! I got a red one "023"... Shame is that I didn't really know what was there meaning at the convention... And I came there in a Ford Crown Vic with the diplomatic flags of Canada floating on the hood... I'm Kanadian too! *faints*
I have the four tags from Anthrocon '06, '07, '08 & '09. I can honestly say I treasure them as mementoes.
Besides, being "darted and tagged" adds that certain something to spending the weekend as an animal.
Just out of curiosity...... Are the Dorsai above bribes gifts? Does ones chance of being tagged increase with the proof of the beverage in the bottle offered to the Dorsai?
For example: 30 proof - no tag for you. 80 proof - I might have a tag here. 150 proof - here's a tag for both your ears and your tail.
Well, I can tell you that a bottle of 10-year-old Laphroig won't get you a tag. Then again, I wasn't in fursuit, either...
We can be bribed, er, leased by gifts of fine libations. It doesn't exactly buy you a tag, but it does get you a much greater likelihood of getting one. Of course, if you deliver out of suit, it's good to let us know what suit to watch for later.
To clarify: I don't have a fursuit at all. I did not expect to get one of the tags. (At the Charity Auction, I only dropped out of the bidding on the 666 tag when it reached $500. I was bidding because I knew it was the only way I'd ever get one... and, of course, for the appropriateness of the number.)
In short, I referred to the beverage as 'contraband' which had to be turned into the proper authorities ASAP for proper handling and disposal. For the record, that person was Skippy, D.I. (AKA David Stein).
(P.S. I'm not sure when you'll reach tag 999, but you might want to consider auctioning it off as well: The inverted number of the beast! [Running, ducking for cover])
Many thanks for the, er, contraband. It was disposed of in an ecologically safe manner, and I even recycled the bottle. We were looking for you afterward to make sure you got an invite to the Klingon Victory Party but weren't sure who to look for. If you didn't get one, PM me and I'll make sure you get one for next year.
As for tag 999 - you betcha. The last three years we've put a tag into the charity auction; this years went for an astounding $500.
I am grateful for the ecologically safe disposal and recycling.
I did receive an invite (Skippy was quite clear that I was entitled to help in the disposal), however I had to leave early the next morning (5:35AM). Also, I am incapable of aiding in the disposal of such contraband. Not for any ethical reasons, merely practical ones. There is something about beverages fermented in wood containers (especially charred ones) that make my taste buds react violently. I cannot describe the taste accurately here due to the desired limitation of phrasing. The closest I can come is to say that if you imagine four of the worst flavors you have ever encountered and taste them simultaneously, that is what I taste with aged, wood-charred fermented liquids.
I also do not eat charcoal-broiled foods for the same reason.
As I noted, I was the last bidder lower than $500. I just couldn't go any higher. If you haven't already issued them, you could also auction off tags 669 + 696 as the Dyslexic numbers of the beast...
I still say that seeing one on the Allegheny County Sheriff's Deputy in the lobby was the most memorable doubletake I've ever done.
I got him three years back, I believe Becca Clayton got him this year.
I just wish I hadnt been sick in 2007. I missed getting one that year, cause I was too ill to wear my own fursuit, even in the parade. 
it was horrible year for me.
This was my first convention and I was able to get a tag! ^^
They made me chase a lazer.. >.< I did my best to catch it LOL. Then they tagged my ear, wasn't too painful!
Paws Up,
KwiK Cheetah
It was my first AC this year and i had been looking forward to trying to get one of those tags. Just had to do a little begging for mine. 
I managed to snag a tag. That was no small feat, because as much as I ran around, I darned near never saw the DI with any tags on 'em. Fortunately, when I missed the supersponsor luncheon, I used that time to run around in suit. I got some face-time with BBF's camera and got a blue tag from the DI.
773, reporting in. My information was most definitely written down at the time of tagging, so no worries there.
-The two saddest words in the English language are "Good bye"
My information was written down too when I got my tag. #764.
Yeah I was goign to say dont forget the auctionas, it was what 69, 404 and 666?
Last year I got tagged on 3 differnt fussuits , whoch someone said was a litle unfair, and unessicary, givien how scarce they are, I guess I would agree that was probably the year you guys were giving them out in large quantites, this year, I nabbed one, from a guy with a kid runnign to get to hsi room i guess, I was happy though he almost seemed less then enthused about it *shrugs* I missed gettign tagged the first year or 2 I guess I wasn't cool enough
Semi related questions, do any of the Dorsai fursuit? I've always wondered that, Seen a few with ears and tails, but the dorsai aren't specificly "furry" just wonderign if any took the plundge *or would like to wear one of mine next event to get a taste of the evil hehe)
AH i saw the red tags on soem dorsai but often just one eahc i figured they were prior year tags so didn;t bother to go try to steal, or pesuade deliver of it
This year we had one person in a targ suit (a Klingon animal), and a person in the parade as a gorilla. Dave "Skippy" Stein made and wore the targ suit. John "Uncle Bear" Hall was the gorilla. Neither are regular suiters, but this year seemed kind of special.
We certainly understand the allure of dressing up and being seen as something other than you are. After all, we were the Klingon Diplomatic Corps long before our first furry contract. Several of the younger members or childern of members seem to be getting into the swing of it, tho.
I've been considering some sort of furry accoutrement in the DI colors, but haven't yet found what's right for me. Then again, look at my avatar.
omg "all your fur suit are belong to us" I LOVE YOU I cant believe I am not the only one in the world who knows that
ha, i remember in class today we were each given a card with words on it, and told to find another person with a word on it that related to it. i got "base" and i thought to myself "hmmm, now all i need to do is find 'all your' and 'belong to us'."
sadly, i got roped into a different group with "soccer", "basket", and "foot".
Hay furrs i'm 3 months in to the fandom and my frend is likeing it too but I need some hints plz for. Whare the cheapest fursuits are not real furr Ty
it's not about cheapest. cheap tends to look bad.
pretty much no matter what you do short of making your own you're going to be spending at least a few hundred dollars. best to spend the time finding the person you like to do it the most and then saving up, that way you're not disappointed and your investment lasts a long time.
Well seeing as you are still new to the fandom, I must say that maybe you should give it some time before you get a fursuit, because there is no such thing as a 'cheap' fursuit, even part(aka 1/2) suits you can pay over $700, and for a full suit you could pay over $1,500(and odds are you will pay more), only 13% of people who go to anthrocon will be in a fursuit, so there is no need to have one. Now you can make one, but even that is not cheap, you may want to read past post under Fursuit Construction and Building , and most people do not have the time to do it. Now when you say the cheapest fursuits that are not real fur, I would like to say NOBODY in there right mind would use real animal fur on there suits,
Here is a 'nice' letter from PETA, who were asking about the same thing.....
And in my personal opinion one of the best responses,
"Dear Shawna:
Real fur is frowned upon at all furry conventions, in the same sense that leaping in front of speeding locomotives is frowned upon at comic book conventions.
Yours truly,
Samuel Conway, Ph.D.
Chairman and CEO
Anthrocon, Inc."
I love the fandom I'm a fox rawr
I CAN HAZ TAG PLZ?? LOLZZ I want one now! that's pretty interesting really. XD maybe I can buy one myself?
Normally, I'd say that the Dorsai accept bribes in the form of single malt scotch, but you're way too young to be purchasing that sort of thing! Hmm, what other bribes to the DI accept?
Chocolate? Coffee? Cannon fodderNew recruits?
umm...A PWETTY DRAWUNNN 8D
As I noted above, single-malt Scotch is not a guaranteed tag-winner... especially if you're not a fursuiter. It does put you on the Dorsai's "We like this guy" list... but that's a position that can be revoked by individual stupidity on the part of the donor.
I have not been guilty of that level of stupidity.
Hmm I see now. I always thought they were just a number identifying your place in line in the Fursuit Parade. Learn something new every day.
One Soldier keeps the next Soldier going, which keeps all the brothers from falling. US Army